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New South Wales-based trainer Joe Conolly is readying himself for the biggest night of his training career at Gloucester Park on Friday, when Loyalist lines up in the TABtouch-The Nullarbor (2536m).

Loyalist, who will represent the Swandoo Harness Racing slot in the $1 million event, is one of three east coast visitors in the event.

Joe Conolly said he wasn't letting the magnitude of the event overwhelm him in the days leading in.

"I'm wrapped to be here," Conolly told The Trots WA.

"To be a part of a race like this is sensational.

"This is my first time in the big league and it's nice to have a horse to play at this level now.

"This last fortnight in the WA has given me ideas on where I'd like to go next."

Loyalist delivered Conolly one of the highlights of his training career last December, taking out the Schweppes Christmas Gift Final at Menangle.

He emerged as a contender for The Nullarbor with a terrific win at Menangle last month.

The 35-year-old said he is adamant the step up in class won't be an issue for his stable star.

"He's given me the feel of a super consistent horse since coming across from New Zealand," Conolly said.

"He feels like the type of horse that the higher grade he competes in the better he will go.

"I think the staying races will suit him as well, so that will be something that we might look at going forward."

Conolly's harness racing career regularly has to sit in the background of his other career as Detective senior constable in the New South Wales Police Force.

He has spent 14 years working as a policeman and has been a hobby harness trainer for much of that period.

Conolly said racing had been a helpful distraction from working as a policeman.

"It can be difficult at times, especially with the long days and early starts," he said.

"I have a good boss and a supportive team at work that bend over backwards that give me every opportunity to come across and do things like this.

"I don't see training horses as a job, rather something that I want to do and something that keeps me sane outside of work hours."

Friday's Nullarbor appears on paper to be a relatively straight forward affair.

Most pundits are expecting the TABtouch favourite Magnificent Storm to roll to the top from barrier two and be extremely hard to beat.

Loyalist, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko from barrier seven, is one of the outsiders of the field at $26.

Conolly indicated the six-year-old would be driven quietly early in the piece and hoped Suvaljko would be able to put him in the race at the appropriate time.

If nothing else, Conolly's work in the police force has taught him to expect the unexpected.

"Things happen in races like this," Conolly said.

"I think it will be one of those races we wake up on Saturday morning and think 'we didn't see that coming'.

"Magnificent Storm has got the draw advantage, but it will be a different ball game for him in front this week to previous times he's led.

"He won't get left alone and the boys that are coming over from the east to drive don't like races getting away from them."

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